Thoughts from the Tortoise Shack

Tag: Humour

The referendum to Repeal the 8th amendment isn’t a vote to stop abortion coming to Ireland. It is already a reality here. It is a vote to take it out of the shadows and treat women as individuals and not as vessels. Director, Writer and Activist Karl Callan’s short film, Repeal punches you in the gut and shows that reality in 12 minutes. We also have that MANEL discussion on why men need to get out, support and vote in this crucial referendum. You can watch the film here.
#Together4Yes

Award winning actor, writer, director and activist, John Connors came into the tortoise and shared his thoughts on the section of society most disadvantaged(as per Social Justice Ireland), Travellers. We talk about discrimination, the challenges facing Travellers, the need for real equality and why culture and the arts still matter. Strong language and mature themes.

It was an incredible momentum shifting week in the Repeal the 8th referendum. So we were delighted to be joined in the tortoise shack by Chair of the Cork Together For Yes Campaign, Activist, Author and Editor of the book, Autonomy, Kathy D’Arcy.
This conversation covers real stories of how the 8th amendment impacts everyone in Ireland and how to deal with THOSE posters.
You can donate to together for yes here. And you can get the book here.

When we started our series on the housing crisis DIT Housing Lecturer, Lorcan Sirr, told us we MUST speak to today’s guest in the tortoise shack, Architect and UCD Lecturer, Orla Hegarty. Mel Reynolds said if we could hand the reins of the Department of Housing over to her for a few hours we’d be on the road to tackling the crisis.

It’s a little known fact that actor, writer, comedian and activist, Tara Flynn is our Fairy Podmother. So you can imagine the excitement when she came into the tortoise shack to discuss her play, ‘Not a Funny Word’, the current state of the arts, how going public with her story of having to travel for an abortion changed how she was perceived and working with the #TogetherForYes campaign to #repealthe8th!

Trade Unionist and Social Activist, Brendan Ogle is described in many ways, mostly as a radical. But as he said to us, what sort of country is it that deems the goals of housing, a decent healthcare system and a living wage radical? He sits down with us in the Tortoise Shack to talk about Home Sweet Home, Right2Water, Right2Change and creating a movement in pursuit of these goals.

Events at the Lidl in Fortunestown Lane, Jobstown, Tallaght gave a green light to the hard right(government TD’s included) to come out and smear an entire working class community over the actions of a few. So we were delighted to be joined in the tortoise shack by Solidarity TD for Dublin South West Paul Murphy, to discuss tackling class warfare, where to next for the Water Charges movement and what a real Left alternative might look like.

The ongoing high profile trial in Belfast, for the alleged rape of a young woman, has laid bare the ordeal the victims of rape undergo in trying to seek justice. As proceedings progressed our guest, comedian, activist and self declared ‘mad yoke’, Linda Hayden began to relive her own traumatic experience. We are delighted that she spoke to us about ending the shame attached to the victims of sexual assault and tackling the system that leaves a woman nearly 10 times more likely to get pregnant from rape than she is to get a conviction against the perpetrator. Time’s Up!

The sale of 14,000 PTSB mortgages to Vulture Funds has awakened a public fed up of Bank scandal after Bank scandal. We are delighted to be joined in the tortoise shack by CEO of the Irish Mortgage Holders, iCare Housing and Director of Inner City Helping Homelessness, David Hall to discuss what is happening, why it’s happening now and what steps the State could take to prevent a potentially catastrophic impact on 40,000.

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The brain takes up nearly a quarter of the body’s energy supply, but is only about 2% of its mass. So why don’t we look after it? We are joined in the tortoise shack by Psychologist, award winning communicator and brain health advocate, Sabina Brennan.
We discuss how we should treat people with brain health issues, such as Alzheimer’s, versus how we currently do. She gives us an insight into how our brains grow, cope with trauma and adapt. Sabina also gives us her top tips for looking after your brain and how to build what she calls a cognitive reserve that can stave off brain disease.